Turn An Old Tea Kettle Into A Stylish Countertop Planter

Not much of a tea drinker these days? Before you donate that old tea kettle, think about all the potential upcycling uses for it. You can transform a thrifted vintage teapot into a stunning DIY centerpiece, for example. But this time, we’re showing you how to use a tea kettle as an upcycled planter. It’s a stylish way to give an old favorite item a new purpose, and it would be perfect as a countertop decoration in your kitchen or on your coffee and tea bar.

Any type of tea kettle works for this project. Metal pots are easy to drill drainage holes in with a drill bit made for metal, like a cobalt bit. You can drill holes in glass or ceramic with a glass drill bit, but they can crack if you’re not careful. Use a kettle you have or thrift a stylish pot that fits your kitchen decor. You can also paint, decoupage, or otherwise embellish a plain pot to make it more stylish — have the supplies on hand for those planned updates. 

Beyond the embellishments for the pot, you’ll also need your potting soil and plants. Succulents typically don’t need huge pots, so a kettle could be the perfect planter. Herbs also go well in a kitchen planter — pot your favorite herb plant in the kettle to enjoy fresh herbs in your kitchen year-round. If you want to expand this project, transform an old teacup into a cute planter for succulents and display them together. 

You won’t need the top of the pot for this project, but you can DIY a unique hanging planter from thrifted teapot lids if you want to put it to good use. Once you remove the lid, give the kettle a good cleaning. Baking soda paste can help remove stuck-on stains, while vinegar can descale an old kettle with lots of mineral deposits. If you want to polish the pot before planting, use olive oil. 

Drill holes in the bottom of the tea kettle for drainage. Then, decorate the pot to fit your idea of what’s stylish for your kitchen. If you want to age a newer metal pot, scuff it with sandpaper or another abrasive material for a vintage vibe. A coat of spray paint designed for metal, glass, or ceramic refreshes a dull-looking pot. Add vinyl letters to display a saying or decoupage the surface with pretty patterns.

Add your potting soil and plant the selected succulents, herbs, or flowers. Include a decorative plate underneath to act as a saucer for water that drips through the bottom. Decide if you like the display as-is or if you want to add more accents. To play off of the tea kettle theme, string beads onto wires and tuck them into the kettle spout to look like liquid pouring out. You can also wrap twine or beads on wire around the kettle handle.